CCG covers Doha Tribeca Film Festival
Published: MEA
QATAR: The Creative Communications Group (CCG) supplied one of the largest outdoor cinema surround systems built to date as well as nearly 1,000 lighting fixtures and crew for the main 2,000-seater Katara Open Air Theatre (KOAT) venue at the third annual Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF).
In addition, CCG supplied sound and lighting for the extensive red carpet area in front of the KOAT venue, plus two complete systems - stage and VIP tent - for the opening night party at the Intercontinental Hotel, as well as sound systems and interior lighting for two other temporary screening theatres in the Multipurpose Hall (Building 12).
The overall DTFF venue sound designs were all created by Michael Rome from Boston Sound and Light in the US, who supplied and co-ordinated specialist digital and 35mm projection systems site wide. BSL and CCG worked together on the audio specifications, and then CCG installed and engineered these under BSL’s direction.
Two audio systems were installed in KOAT - a cinema surround sound and a live system that was used by pre-show artists and Leona Lewis, who closed the event.
With a total of 128 speaker cabinets, this was one of the largest outdoor cinema surround systems constructed to date. The system was a combination of L-Acoustics and EAW elements. Upstage of the screen were three hangs of L-Acoustics Kudos, running with 12 L-Acoustics LA18 subs hidden under the stage, all driven by LA8 amps. On the stage were 36 wedge monitors, a mix of EAW and Meyer.
The first and second surround stacks each side each totalled four hangs of EAW 760, and running along the back of the grandstand seating were eight arrays of two EAW 730s. The EAWs were all driven by Lab.gruppen PLM 10000Q amps. The cinema soundtrack was supplied by a Dolby system.
The concert system featured left and right flown arrays of six Meyer Milos cabinets, complete with EAW 850 side fills, NT29 front fills and two HP700 subs a side. The HP700s were ground stacked either side of the stage, together with four additional SL1000 subs for extra bottom end. A centre cluster of EAW 760 line array cabinets dealt with presenters and announcements.
The consoles for FOH and monitor mixes were both DiGiCo D5s, and CCG supplied two separate Optocore fibre multis - one for lighting and one for audio control.
A substantial amount of sound was installed in the backstage and underworld areas of the stage including EAW NT29s and NTS29 subs, and Meyer UM series ‘cubes’ for the dressing and green rooms and near sea level juice bar.
The principal challenges of KOAT were being flexible enough to provide two very different but equally excellent sounding systems, as well as to accommodate changes that came on-stream as the venue build process evolved.
The opening party sound at the Intercontinental Hotel was delivered through a d&b Q series for the main stage, with a Meyer UM PA in the VIP tent.
The Building 12 screening theatres saw a combination of L-Acoustics Kara for the main hangs, complimented with d&b E series for the surrounds, plus Kara subs.
On the lighting side, CCG worked closely with Adam Bassett from the UK. The total lighting count for KOAT was just short of 800 fixtures. With its architecture defined by three steel arches, the largest 43m high and 86m wide, all areas of the venue needed individual and detailed lighting treatment - inside, outside, the arches, the seating and of course the stage.
A wide selection of Clay Paky Alpha Spot and Wash moving lights were utilised, together with Alpha Beam 300s, Sharpies and Shot Lights. There were also GLP Impression LED washes along the lip of the stage alternating with MR16 Birdies, and a host of other fixtures, including PAR 64s 8-lie Moles, ETC Source Fours with a selection of lenses, Martin Atomic strobes, Griven Powershine D LED washes and Griven Strokers.
CCG also supplied four RJ Cyrano follow spots. A complete new system - another 124 fixtures - was installed for the Red Carpet area before the entrance to KOAT, plus two grandMA2s for control, with a grandMA2 ultra-light for use as a tech desk onstage. The opening party lighting included Clay Paky and Vari-Lite moving lights, lots of LED and a grandMA2 lite console. In this area CCG worked with Gary Collins from Adam Basset's team. Lighting in the cinemas included more Alpha Washes, lots of ETC Source Fours and Source Four Parnels, together with a smattering of Griven fresnels and LED PARs.
The event was once again a massive success and a big step forward in terms of production ambition and values.
‘Working with top lighting designers like Adam Bassett and audio specialists like Boston Sound & Light, and meeting all their standards and requirements is hugely rewarding for all of our team,’ said CCG MD Jalal Dudin. ‘It was also great for us that the DFI’s head of event production Michael Petrovich and assistant head of event production Vito Ziccardi chose to engage a local company to supply a very successful and high profile international event. We were very proud to be part of the 2011 DTFF and helping to put Doha on the map for producing world class shows.’